There are 10 heaven stems and 12 earth branches. With the combination of one stem and one branch, these stems and branches are used to indicate a specific hour of the day, date and year in the Chinese traditional system of time. The 12 branches match the number of the months in a year and the hours of the day. For example, the
hour always indicates the 12 hour. Modified by a different stem, it indicates either noon or midnight.

From
to
, with each of the stems and branches combining once sequentially, it takes 60 years to complete a full cycle. Consequently, almost everyone can meet the exact same year again only once in lifetime. The current year, 1997, is in the
(the 4th stem and 2nd branch) year in the Chinese Lunar Calendar.

The Zodiac Animals

This Zodiac Disk tells you several things:

- how the Chinese Zodiac system works within the Chinese Lunar Calendar,

- how the heaven stems and earth branches are combined to name the year,

- the sequential order of the zodiac animals,

- and the zodiac years shown in the world calendar till 2006, a visual way for you to figure out your own animal.

In each of the sectors of the disk, next to the animals are the Chinese
characters for them; in the beige-brown circle are names of the earth branches,
and in the blue center are the names of the heaven stems. The characters in the
blue center trail away -- because this area is too small to present the whole
circle which it takes 60 combination.

If you don't read this much Chinese, perhaps you might try to look at the characters as little pictures and see how these little pictures match each other.

Among the 12 animals, the Rat takes the lead in the full circle and the Pig brings up the rear. Each of the 12 earth branches always goes with the same animal, for example:

(zi Rat)

(Chou Bull)

(yin Tiger)

(Mou Rabbit)

The Chinese are firm
believers in astrology. They would prefer to begin any new task -- be it
work-related or personal -- at an auspicious time. In fact, like Indians, many
Chinese will not finalise a deal or fix on the date of a marriage or any other
important occasion until they consult an astrologer.

Chinese astrology is based on the cycle of the moon, which is why each new year
begins on a different date. The year of the sheep began on February 1, 2003,
while the year of the monkey will begin on January 22, 2004.

A person's date of birth is a very important factor in Chinese astrology.

The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle, with each year being represented by one
animal.

Legend has it that, on the new year, Buddha called all the animals to come
before him. Only 12 of them did so. First came the rat, followed by the ox, the
tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the sheep, the monkey, the
rooster, dog and finally the pig. Buddha rewarded them by naming a year in their
honour and decreed that each year, and the persons born in that year, would have
the characteristics of the animal it represented. Thus, the Chinese zodiac was
established.